Adams, 52, was originally charged with rape, which he denied, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of sexual assault by penetration after discussions between the Crown Prosecution Service and his defence team.

The victim struggled to read a personal statement to the court in which she said the incident had ruined her life.

Louise McCloskey, prosecuting, was forced to complete the statement after the woman became too upset.

She said: “He has taken everything from me. I want to take all my skin off and throw it away. I go to bed every night and cry myself to sleep.

“I feel I’m living a nightmare every day and night. I hate myself, why me?”

Ms McCloskey told the court the woman was asleep when the offence took place.

She said: “She awoke to find the defendant on top of her with his face on top of hers and his tongue in her mouth.

“She explained she felt sick and didn’t really understand what was going on. She froze.”

The court heard Adams then assaulted the woman while she lay in silence.

Ms McCloskey said: “This continued for a time; she said it seemed to last forever. She then found her voice and asked him to get off her and he did at that stage get off.”

The court heard the victim reported the incident to the police immediately and Adams, who now lives in Quayside Road, Southampton, was arrested.

Ms McCloskey said: “The defendant denied that any rape had taken place ... but in his own words said he had committed a sexual assault.”

The court heard Adams was due to stand trial over the rape but the charge was withdrawn.

He said: “The defendant is remorseful for his actions and he didn’t set out with the intention of causing any harm when he committed this offence. He bitterly regrets what he did that night and the harm he did cause to (the victim).”

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones, passing sentence, said: “As far as you are concerned you have no previous offending history at all and you clearly have an excellent work record.

“However, I have also heard in part the complainant in a distressed state attempting to read the victim personal statement. It is quite obvious from the contents of that statement the impact of that night.”

But Judge Trevor-Jones said the defendant’s remorse, lack of previous convictions and early guilty plea meant he could suspend the prison sentence.

The victim, sat in the public gallery, became extremely emotional when Adams was spared prison and rushed out of the courtroom in a tearful state.

Adams was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to attend a rehabilitation course with the Probation Service and ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.